Floating and mobile carrying platform device and method of using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10173755-B2
Application number	US-201815871034-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2018
Priority date	Sep 28, 2015
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

A floating and mobile carrying platform device, including: a load-bearing deck trunk including an upper surface and a lower surface; a semi-submersible tower disposed on the upper surface of the load-bearing deck trunk; a column-type buoyancy pier connected to the lower surface of the load-bearing deck trunk; rest piers disposed on the upper surface of the load-bearing deck trunk; a console disposed in the semi-submersible tower; a slideway disposed on the upper surface of the load-bearing deck trunk; and a connection member disposed between the load-bearing deck trunk and the semi-submersible tower. The load-bearing deck trunk adopts a box structure, and the box structure includes a top plate, a bottom plate, side plates, a plurality of cross rib plates, and vent holes. The plurality of cross rib plates is disposed between the top plate and the bottom plate to support the top plate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A floating and mobile carrying platform device, comprising:
a load-bearing deck trunk comprising an upper surface and a lower surface;
a semi-submersible tower disposed on the upper surface of the load-bearing deck trunk;
a buoyancy pier connected to the lower surface of the load-bearing deck trunk;
rest piers disposed on the upper surface of the load-bearing deck trunk;
a console disposed in the semi-submersible tower;
a slideway disposed on the upper surface of the load-bearing deck trunk; and
a connection member disposed between the load-bearing deck trunk and the semi-submersible tower;

wherein:
the load-bearing deck trunk adopts a box structure, and the box structure comprises a top plate, a bottom plate, side plates, a plurality of cross rib plates, and vent holes; each of the plurality of cross rib plates comprises a lightening hole; the plurality of cross rib plates is disposed between the top plate and the bottom plate to support the top plate; the vent holes are disposed at joints of every two adjacent cross rib plates and pass through the top plate and bottom plate; or, the load-bearing deck trunk adopts a grillage structure comprising a top plate and lattice trusses adapted to support the top plate;
the top plate is equipped with a water hole; the rest piers are disposed on the top plate, and are located at cross points of the cross rib plates or at cross points of grids of the lattice trusses;
the buoyancy pier is connected to the lower surface of the load-bearing deck trunk, and comprises a stabilizer fin, a drain valve and an air valve; the stabilizer fin is disposed on a side wall of the buoyancy pier; a cross section of the buoyancy pier is wing-shaped or shuffle-shaped;
the semi-submersible tower is disposed on the upper surface of the load-bearing deck trunk, and comprises an inflation valve, a cabin door, a ladder, a safety deck, and an air tank; the ladder connects the cabin door and the safety deck; and
the console and the air tank are disposed on the safety deck, and the console is configured to control the drain valve, the air valve, and the inflation valve; and the air tank is connected to the air valve and the inflation valve via a compressed air pipeline.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the connection member is of a rigid pipe structure, and a cross section thereof is circular or square.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the connection member is of a flexible stay rope structure, and is disposed between the load-bearing deck trunk, the semi-submersible tower and the rest piers.

4. A method for using the floating and mobile carrying platform device of claim 1 , the method comprising:
1) towing the platform device or a load to an operating location;
2) opening, under the control of the console, the drain valve and air valve, and allowing the platform device to sink to a certain water level;
3) closing, under the control of the console, the drain valve and air valve; continuing towing the platform device right below the load or towing the load right above the platform device;
4) opening, under the control of the console, the drain valve and air valve, and pumping compressed air prestored in the air tank into the air valve via the compressed air pipeline to discharge ballast water;
5) allowing the platform device to float upwards, and dropping the load on the slideway of the platform device; and
6) closing, under the control of the console, the drain valve and the air valve, and adjusting a height of the rest piers to allow the load to drop on the rest piers.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising charging the air tank in need thereof, wherein the charging the air tank comprises: opening, under the control of the console, an inflation valve of the semi-submersible tower, and then charging the air tank via a compressed air source or a charging pipe of a working ship.

6. A method for using the floating and mobile carrying platform device of claim 1 , the method comprising:
1) docking the platform device beside a wharf having a slideway;
2) opening, under the control of the console, the drain valve and air valve, and adjusting the platform device to be in the same height as the slideway of the wharf;
3) closing, under the control of the console, the drain valve and air valve; allowing a load to slide on the slideway of the platform device via the slideway of the wharf;
4) opening, under the control of the console, the drain valve and air valve, and pumping compressed air prestored in the air tank into the air valve via the compressed air pipeline to discharge ballast water;
5) allowing the platform device to float upwards, and dropping the load on the slideway of the platform device; and
6) closing, under the control of the console, the drain valve and the air valve, and adjusting a height of the rest piers to allow the load to drop on the rest piers.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising charging the air tank in need thereof, wherein the charging the air tank comprises: opening, under the control of the console, an inflation valve of the semi-submersible tower, and then charging the air tank via a compressed air source or a charging pipe of a working ship.

Assignees

• Univ Dalian Tech

Inventors

• Lin Yan
• Ye Chao
• Jiang Xiaoning

Classifications

• B63B2017/0054

  Rests or supports for movable ship-borne equipment · CPC title

• F16K15/20

  specially designed for inflatable bodies, e.g. tyres (connecting valves to inflatable bodies B60C29/00) · CPC title

• B63B35/44

  Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices {(construction methods for floating offshore platforms B63B75/00)} · CPC title

• B63B17/0027

  Tanks for fuel or the like (constructional features of bunkers B63B11/04); Accessories therefor, e.g. tank filler caps (fuel tanks for vehicles in general B60K15/03; cargo tanks B63B25/08; cleaning of tanks B63B57/00; handling of liquids for use in power plants B63H21/38) · CPC title

• B63B35/28 Primary

  Barges or lighters {(underwater-towed barges B63G8/42; for transporting logs B63B35/62)} · CPC title